[Via Satellite 07-28-2015] Red 52<\/b>, a growing Mexico-based satellite communications company, anticipates Latin America will remain a hotbed for satcom demand in the years to come. The company has grown year over year for the past four years, with 2015 being one of the most successful to date, according to Red 52 Director General Sergio Murillo.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are seeing more and more major government-funded projects being rolled out throughout the region. There is a lot of activity in telemedicine, education projects, border security, and basic connectivity applications for remote towns and villages. Another growth area that we are seeing a lot is in corporate networks, and a lot of content delivery as well,\u201d Murillo told Via Satellite<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Several Latin American governments have stepped up their efforts to bridge the digital divide within their borders. For populations distanced from major terrestrial telecommunications infrastructure, satellite has grown to a favored solution. Brazil is ramping up rural connectivity with Via Direta Telecom<\/b>, a subsidiary of TV and radio broadcast group Rede Tiradentes de Telecomunica\u00e7\u00f5es<\/b>, selecting iDirect<\/b>\u2019s Evolution platform last month to further the nation\u2019s largest e-learning program. Agencia Boliviana Espacial <\/b>(ABE), the Bolivian space agency, this year certified satellite modems from Newtec<\/b> and placed an order with Gilat<\/b> <\/b>for Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs), a SkyEdge 2-c hub, and other services to provide domestic satellite services through its Tupac Katari satellite. Among government-driven connectivity projects in Latin America, the Mexico Conectado program is among the most ambitious, Euroconsult <\/b>Senior Consultant Nathan de Ruiter told Via Satellite<\/i>.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the [Latin American] telecom segment, capacity growth is primarily supported by the increasing availability of low-cost [High Throughput Satellite] HTS capacity, which should especially drive growth in the consumer broadband, cellular backhaul, and rural connectivity segments. Cellular backhaul and trunking currently has a stronger foothold in Brazil, while Mexico is the leader in rural connectivity projects,\u201d said de Ruiter.<\/p>\n
Red 52 was involved in the relief effort following hurricane Odile, which struck the Cabo San Lucas and La Paz in Mexico\u2019s Baja California peninsula on Sept. 14, 2014. The company provided trucks, hardware, technicians, and emergency communications. The pro-bono services helped restore communications to a grocery store chain providing food and water, and to the electric commission to help restore power.<\/p>\n
Murillo also highlighted reforms in Mexico\u2019s energy policy as a driver for increased satcom demand.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere in Mexico there are major reforms in the energy sector that have created pretty much a gold rush for a lot of foreign oil companies. It\u2019s driving a lot of opportunities for us and for everybody \u2014 not just the oil companies, but all of their suppliers and support partners,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Red 52\u2019s core markets are the Andean region, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America. The company has also completed some projects in Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay. One of the most recent was a new teleport built just outside of Mexico City. Murillo said Red 52 is also looking to expand beyond Latin America and is beginning to do so through an opportunity in Europe. A U.S. telecom operator requested the company to assist with a project based on its experience with field services, Murillo said. Red 52 is a significant player in field services operations in Latin America and has ongoing investments, mostly through the Global VSAT Forum <\/b>(GVF), in training and certifications for field technicians, engineers, and Satellite Newsgathering (SNG) vehicle operators. Murillo said working with local partners is part of the company\u2019s strategy to reach new areas.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just completed a project in Scotland, and at the moment we are working some projects in Africa and the Middle East, so we are looking to expand,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are quite a few opportunities opening up in Africa right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to new markets, Red 52 is investing in infrastructure to add capacity for current customers. Murillo declined to specify what form this will take in the future, but assured the company would be very active going forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are investing a lot in Research and Development (R&D). We\u2019ve come across some things that promise to yield interesting new applications for traditional services,\u201d he said. \u201cI can\u2019t give away the secret sauce, but what I can say is you\u2019re going to be hearing a lot more from Red 52 in the very near future.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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